Board of Directors

Chairman

Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammad Al ThaniAir Arabia Chairman since 2003, & Sharjah Civil Aviation ChairmanHis Excellency Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Al Thani holds several prominent positions in UAE. He served as member of the Executive Council of Sharjah and as Chairman of Sharjah Civil Aviation Department. He has a well-known track record in contributions towards developing air transport sector in UAE, as well as significant contributions and support to Economic & Tourism development in Sharjah.

Shk Al Thani Chaired Air Arabia Board since inception in 2003.

Executive Member

Adel Abdullah Ali (Chief Executive Officer & Air Arabia Board Member since 2003)Mr. Adel Ali recieved award for the best CEO of low-cost carrier in the world for the years 2007, 2008, 2009 & 2010 In recognition of his efforts in founding the first low-cost carrier in the Middle East and North Africa. He is also selected as the best business man for the year 2011. Ali has more than 28 years in aviation world & strategic planning, His deep knowledge in tourism and commercial operations are well reflected in Air Arabia’s performance since 2003. Before Air Arabia, Mr. Ali served in various aviation positions; he served as vice president of the commercial & customer services in Gulf Air where he played a key role in restructuring the company. He also served for more than 20 years in different management positions with British Airways last of which was General Manager of the Middle east and Africa.

Non Executive Director

(Air Arabia Board Member since 2007, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of TheAbraaj Group) Arif Naqvi established The Abraaj Group in 2002 and has served as its Group Chief Executive since inception, building it into one of the leading private equity firms in the world. Abraaj is widely recognized as a pioneer of global growth markets private equity with 25 country offices including 6 regional hubs in Dubai, Istanbul, Mexico City, Mumbai, Nairobi and Singapore. Mr. Naqvi has over three decades of experience of investing in public and private companies and has led the Group’s investment strategy, resulting in some of the most notable private equity transactions across global growth markets over the last decade.Mr. Naqvi is a Trustee of the Interpol Foundation and on the Board of the United Nations Global Compact, the Global Leadership Council of Columbia University, Endeavor Global and is the Chair of the Middle East Centre Advisory Board of the London School of Economics and Political Science. He is a Council Member of the Belfer Center International at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Art in London.Mr. Naqvi has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Oslo Business for Peace Award, the highest form of recognition given to individual private sector leaders for fostering peace and stability through business, and the Sitara-i-Imtiaz, a prominent civilian honor awarded by the Government of Pakistan. In 2011, Private Equity International named him as one of the 50 most influential people in the global private equity industry.In 2008, Mr. Naqvi and his family established the Aman Foundation, the largest private social sector enterprise in Pakistan, which supports sustainable development in healthcare, nutrition and education.Mr. Naqvi is a graduate of the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Independent Member

Dr. Ghanem Al Hajiri (Air Arabia Board Member since 2003 & the Chairman of Sharjah International Airport)Dr. Ghanem Al Hajiri last served as the Chairman of Sharjah International Airport; Dr. Al Hajiri assumed various posts in the aviation sector locally and internationally. He served as Director General of Sharjah International Airport for over 15 years and he also serves as Secretary General of the Gulf Airports Services Association & Arabs Airports Council.Besides that Dr. Ghanem Al Hajiri is a board member of the Airports Council International (ACI) since 1991 & served in numerous management positions there till he was elected as deputy chairman, before assuming the position of Airports Council International Chairman. Dr. Ghanem is one of the first UAE Nationals holding a PhD in Air Transport; he was awarded the degree in United Kingdom. He also has a master’s degree in Airport Planning, and a bachelor’s degree in management.

Independent Director

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdullah Al ThaniAir Arabia Board Member since March 2011, Director General – Sharjah Statistics Center.H.E. Sheikh Mohammed Al Thani is one of the young leaders in Sharjah, and a businessman, with positive footprints in many business fields especially travel and tourism.H.E. assumed the role Director of His Highness Sharjah Ruler’s Office in the American University of Sharjah. Late 2011, he was appointed as Director General of Sharjah Statistics Center, and assumed the role Chairmanship of the center in 2014.Besides that, he also serves as Chairman of Gamma Aviation, AM Holding Company, Al Nawras Catering Company, Santos International Company, Ascent Advertising Company and Universal Tourism Company; he is also the deputy chairman Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club.

Independent Member

Independent Director – Since 2014. Chairman of Sharjah Civil AviationSheikh Khalid Bin Issam Al Qassimi is the Chairman of the Department of Civil Aviation in Sharjah, he also is a member of the Executive Council of Sharjah Government, which is Chaired by H.H. Crown Prince of Sharjah. Through his career, Sheikh Khalid has served in various posts in both Sharjah Airport Authority, and Department of Civil Aviation. In 2012 he was appointed as Director General of Sharjah Civil aviation, and in early 2014 Shk Khalid was elected as Chairman of Sharjah Civil Aviation. Besides the above stated resposibilities, Mr. Al Qassimi is a board member of the General Civil Aviation Authority of in UAE, and a board member of Sharjah Aviation Services LLC. Sheikh Khalid holds a bachelors Degree in Commerce, and a Masters Degree in International Business.

Independent Member

With an extensive experience in the fields of Investments and Finance, H.E. Mr. Waleed Al Sayegh is the Director General of Sharjah’s Central Finance Department, and a member of UAE’s Federal Finance policies committee. He is also the Chief Executive Officer of Sharjah Asset Management, Sharjah’s sovereign investments vehicle, Chairman of Sharjah Holding, and Board member of Tilal Real-estate. Mr. Al Sayegh’s expertise extends in areas of governmental accounting, budgets, management and administration, strategic management, and crisis management. Within the span of 25 years, HE has worked for several private and public entities in the United Arab Emirates.